What Straight Razor Have You Honed Lately????

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by DaltonGang, Sep 25, 2016.

  1. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    That's a new one to me, Glen. Had to do some searching. Thanks to the late, great Neil Miller for this:

    "A. Wilson was Albert Wilson, the son of a 'razor smith' - cCharles Wilson, of George Street. George was born around 1796 but appears to have died by 1851, as his wife Sarah is listed as head of household. The family seem to have been quite gifted — Albert was a razor smith, brother Robert was a 'professor of music', brother George a 'silver chaser' and brother Arthur a penknife grinder. Tweedale list Alberts date of birth as 1838, but various official documents give it as 1836. In 1871 he seems to have dabbled in other trades, calling himself an 'edge tool maker' rather than a razor smith. At some point in the 1870s he seems to have become a partner of George Ibberson, another famous Sheffield razor and edge tool maker - perhaps that is why he listed his profession as he did in 1871. In 1881 he has relocated - first to Langdon Street, then Bowden Street, and described himself as a "master razor hafter employing one man and two boys" - and as 'razor maker' and trading under his own name. Their corporate mark of 'Sans Rival' and the emblem of a child with outstretched arms is depicted in an 1895 trade journal. Son Frederick is also described as a razor hafter in 1881, and 'manager (razor manufacturer)' however at some point Frederick becomes head of the firm and is recorded as such in 1901 while father Albert is described as an 'employer' and 'silver engraver'. Curiously, in 1901 Frederick describes his business as 'cutlery manufacturing'. However, in 1911 he is calling himself a 'razor manufacturer and employer'. Albert appears to have died in the same year, and the company of A Wilson & Son ceased trading in the 1920s."

    Probably more than anyone really needed to know about the maker, but I'm always interested in history as it pertains to these old razors... ;)

    Seeing you using that coti compels me to want to use mine more. It tends to get neglected in favor of other naturals.

    Nice job on that heel fix, Glen. I'm always leery when I come across uneven stabilizers and/or the beginning of the dreaded heel hook.
    Fortunately, most razors I come across tend to suffer more from uneven toe wear than heel issues...for which I am thankful. :D
     
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  2. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

  3. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    I honed this one for a fellow member. When I got it, the blade was butter knife sharp, except for the toe. So, I expected a lot of work. Not so.
    I put one layer of tape on this "Blood Thirsty Razor". I then preceded to set a bevel on the 800 grit Norton. It was a little tricky, because of the very short spine, that was only at the toe end. I modified my grip and pressure, which did the trick, and the bevel came on quick. I did notice the bevel was uneven, from one side to the other, but that didn't affect the edge. I then went to the King 1k and finished off the bevel, with a new layer of tape. After that, off to the easy part, and another change of tape. The 3/8k ?? synthetic hone, change of tape. Next, the Welsh Slate Stones, 8k, 12k, 15k, went very smoothly. To finish it off, I used my Arkansas Surgical Black Progression Oil Stone.
    Then a little trip on the Chromium Oxide Linen, Hard Linen, Russian Leather Strop, and the Smooth Strop.
    In the end, this turned into a fast job of honing, and a very very sharp razor. This is a well built and heavy razor.

    Williams Hand Made Kamisori Straight. Western grind.
    P7301089.JPG
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2017
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  4. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
    Just Set the Bevel on this Stainless Dovo for a Forum Member..I Like Honing them as they are Usually a God Send to Hone after Some of the Excessive Hone Wear EBay Razors I Get Sent..They are Good Shavers..Just to be Clear..I Am Not Knocking them..:happy088:

    That Said..This One had a Lot of Pitting & Corrosion on the Blade Edge..It was Literally Rotting Away..This Razor is 2nd Hand But its NOT Very Old..I have Came Across a Couple from the Factory with Micro Corrosion on the Edge..Quite Alarming Actually..I was Talking to a Fellow Forum Member Today about Honing Stainless SRs..;)

    Stainless Blades are NOT Any Harder to Hone than Carbon Steel..They Take More Care is All..They Can Kinda Slip Over the Hone is All..So 100 % Focus is Required..That Should be the Case with any Razor on the Hone of Course..:cool:

    So..Folks that Find Stainless Blades a Challenge to Hone..Then its YOU that has a HOLE in Ones Honing Skills..Dovo Razors Wither Carbon or Stainless Seem to Excel with a Synthetic Finisher for Some Reason..I Could Shave with this Razor from the 1 K Stone by the Way..:)

    A Synthetic Edge for Synthetic Steel..:happy102:
    :scared003:

    :rofl:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2017
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  5. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    It's a beauty, @Billyfergie , I especially like the black racing stripe. :chores016:
     
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  6. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
    Oh Yeah..She's a Beauty..:happy097:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  7. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Well, this one definitively has better lines. :D
     
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  8. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
    I Took My German Made Keen Cutter Simmons 6/8th to the Naniwa 8 K to 12 K & Finished it on My Coticule & then the Welsh Yellow Lake..I Done this on the Advice of a Fellow Forum Member..This is the 3rd Razor I have Done this with Consistent Results..The Coticule is around 12 K + with Lather & I Took the Razor Off the Yellow Lake Around the 16 K Mark..:)

    I Am Getting a Spectacular Sharp & Smooth Shaving Edge with this Set Up..You are NOT Gonna Believe Me when I Say this..This Welsh Yellow Lake with Oil has a 20 K + Finishing Capacity..Oh Yeah..Seriously..This Yellow Lake Stone Can Over Hone Swedish Steel to the Point where the Razor is Unusable...My Surgical Black Arkansas Stone is a 20 K Finisher & the Yellow Lake is Light Years Finer..;)

    If You See One of these Yellow Lake Stones in the Red Packaging then Get One..I Was Astounded at the High Grit Finishing Capacity of this Welsh Slate Stone..I Would have Laughed if Anyone had Said that a Welsh Slate Could Possibly have Such a High Grit Finishing Capacity..In Fact I Would have Curled Up on the Floor..:happy097:

    Anyway..The Full Hollow Keen Cutter Took a Spectacular Shaving Edge with this Set Up..The Edges are Smooth, Sharp & Like a Ghost on the Face..:shocked003:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  9. TheFiveO

    TheFiveO Well-Known Member

    Thanks for this tip @Billyfergie. I have a yellow lake and a salmen slate stone. I must get them out and try them with oil. Honing oil?
     
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  10. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    Never Used Honing Oil..I Use Bisley Gun Oil which is a 3 & 1 Thin Type Oil..I Am Delighted with the Results So I Just Stuck to it..:angelic007:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  11. TheFiveO

    TheFiveO Well-Known Member

    These two beauties were honed this week. These are ones I recently won at an auction. They were initially honed with a Chosera 1k, Naniwa 3/8 combo stone and then finished on a coti. I have yet to master the coti and wasn't happy with the edges so I went back to 8k and finished on a Jnat on loan from a friend.

    [​IMG]

    Boker Red Injun & L'Aiglon E Champion
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2017
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  12. TheFiveO

    TheFiveO Well-Known Member

    Today's victims:
    - F.W Engells Leader square point
    - Geneva Pyramid

    Both need restore work, but I wanted to see how they'd take an edge first
    [​IMG]
     
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  13. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    My first honed edge! Used a King 1K for bevel set. The bevel set took forever because I couldn't get it to pop hairs and I thought it wasn't passing the thumb test.... I finally decided to move on to the 4/8K did 25 X stokes on 4k and 20 on 8k. Then took it to the Swaty 3 Line for 8 laps then 8 laps on CrOx pasted strop, 40 on linen, and 120 on Roo Leather. The shave was just shy of a BBS, not the most comfortable, but serviceable!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  14. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Congratulations on your first successful Straight Razor Honing. Just acquire some older razors for cheap, and practice, practice, practice. :bounce017::bounce017::bounce017:
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2017
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  15. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    Luckily I already have a bunch of old razors, I'll hone a Griffin Razor tomorrow!


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  16. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    I skipped the Griffin and honed up these two! The first in ivory colored scales, an SSA Eskilstuna and the second a Herm. Konejung Solingen.


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  17. lindyhopper66

    lindyhopper66 Well-Known Member

    Sorry, I put this image in the wrong forum.
     
  18. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Triple header today.

    Wade And Butcher, "Bow" Razor.
    This one had a lot of work done to it. The edge, towards the heel was badly ground. Someone tried to fix something. I had to even everything out, which squared the entire blades edge. This didnt make things go fast, because, this steel is very hard. Harder than most, except Swedish and Commie steel. It had to take my time and work the edge on an 800 grit Norton stone. The heel was painfully time consuming. I took my time and used pressure when needed, and came out with a very sharp edge, on this stone. from there the bevel was better set with a King 1k, fairly fast. next the 3/8k ?? stone, and the 8k, 12k, 15k, Welsh Slate stones, which were very fast and precise. The ultra Finisher was the Arkansas Surgical Black Progression Stone. I then did a few laps on the Chromium Oxide strop, some laps on the hard linen, and about 75 on the Russian Leather strop. It was popping single, and fine hanging hairs, with no effort, down the entire edge.

    Before:
    WB Bow 1a.JPG
    WB Bow 1b.JPG

    After:

    WB Bow 3a.JPG
    WB Bow 3b.JPG
     
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  19. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Second Razor:

    Chinese ZY. $7 and free shipping.
    @Billyfergie got me interested in honing one of these. This feels like a refined, Gold Dollar, but doesn't need the rear blade stabilizer worked on, and doesn't need new scales(So to Speak).
    It came with an almost shave ready edge, on the front half of the blade, but the back edge needed work. It needed a good amount of 1k work on the heel end, just to set the bevel. This is some hard steel, that takes a while. Not as hard as Commie steel though. After the Bevel was set on the King 1k, everything fell into place fast. I progressed quickly though the 3k/8k ???, Welsh Slate Stones 8k, 12k, 15k, then the Surgical Black Arkie, Ultra Finisher. After some strop work, the edge was Uber Sharp, down the entire length. It was as sharp as the best I have ever done. It was splitting fine hairs on a HHT with no effort. Super Scary Sharp.
    P8141141.JPG
     
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  20. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    The final one for the night.

    A Wade and Butcher, Faux Frameback.
    It was a pain to get. It got lost in the mail, and I had to track the razor down, and demand it from the person it was delivered accidentally to.
    This one seemed to be shave ready, and have custom scales, when I got it, but, upon examination, the person who owned it(or honed it) last, rolled the edge, and this made it unsafe to shave.
    It had a decent bevel, except the slightly rolled edge, so the progression went quickly. 1k King, 3k???, 8k 12k 15k Welsh Slate Stones. Surgical Black Arkie Progression Stone. Then, some stropping. Super Duper Sharp, down the entire edge. HHT-CN.
    P8141139.JPG
     
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